Off Season

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT OFF SEASON - PAGE 3

With 2007 No. 1 overall draft pick Patrick Kane and '06 top pick Jonathan Toews in place as the building blocks, the Blackhawks made sure head coach Denis Savard would be around to help guide their development. The Hawks extended Savard's contract through the 2008-09 season Thursday. There is no overestimating the value of team ownership. Northwestern's football team knows that. "That's definitely one thing we really, truly focused on this off-season," said Adam Kadela, a fifth-year senior linebacker.

Once, informed he was making more money than the president of the United States, Babe Ruth said: "I had a better year than he did." The same could be said of Sammy Sosa, who has spent some time with President Clinton during the off-season. From lighting the White House Christmas tree to witnessing (sitting between Hillary Clinton and Tipper Gore) the State of the Union speech, the Cubs slugger continues to be America's big bopper. Sosa even appeared at a banquet recently in Atlanta with the president to honor Hank Aaron.

Discounts of up to 30 percent for boat slips at North Point Marina will be available next season, according to officials. The rate reductions at the state-owned marina, which has 1,500 slips on Lake Michigan just north of Illinois Beach State Park, are the result of lower off-season operating costs, said David Suthard, the marina's business manager. There also was a reduction in administrative costs, and some full-time marina positions were converted to seasonal positions.

After months of declaring that veteran Erik Kramer would be their starting quarterback, the Bears abruptly reversed themselves Tuesday, waiving the 10-year veteran and placing their future squarely in the hands of unsigned rookie Cade McNown. "It's probably like winning the Lotto, only in reverse," a stunned Kramer said. "It's like Ed McMahon coming to the door, thinking `Where's my check?' then getting cut." McNown's agent, Tom Condon, traveled to Chicago and was meeting with Bears officials early Tuesday, suggesting that McNown's signing is imminent.

Mike Piazza took part in defensive drills for first basemen as more than 2,000 fans watched the New York Mets' first official workout Friday in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Piazza, the All-Star catcher, said he's embracing the idea of learning a new position and becoming more versatile. While only pitchers and catchers were scheduled to take part, shortstop Kaz Matsui and second baseman Jose Reyes continued getting used to each other in the middle of the infield. Mussina gets nod The New York Yankees said Mike Mussina probably will start their season opener in Tokyo against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on March 30. Mussina went 17-8 with a 3.40 ERA in 31 starts for the AL champions last season.

There`ll be no more Cleveland jokes around the National Basketball Association. No more talk about how the best thing about being a member of the Cavaliers is that you don`t have to go there on road trips. No more fears about going away from the phone on draft day for fear the Cavaliers will call and offer a No. 1 pick. The Cavaliers turned it around last season until the Bulls turned them on their ears. The Cavs were the darlings of the league. They won 57 games, the second most wins behind Detroit in the NBA, with an exciting blend of youth and veteran talent.

Suddenly, the future is a little too close for Donnell Woolford's comfort. But he couldn't be serious, could he? Did he really think his job as the Bears' starting left cornerback was in jeopardy? "Hey, you never know," he shrugged. "It's harsh and it hurts and it's sad, but it's football. If you don't do it, you don't have a job. We all go through it and you just have to be tough about it." Hours earlier, his buddy Jeremy Lincoln went through it and already teammates were speaking about Lincoln, who started 14 games in 1995, in hushed tones and in the past tense.

Great Value Vacations is running a good deal on Sorrento and Rome, if you're willing to try the off-season (Nov. 1-Feb. 28). Even in the depths of winter, the daytime average highs are in the mid-50s. Rates, including airfare, start at $1,399 per person double occupancy from New York's JFK, with add-ons for Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando and Washington ranging from about $200 to $300. Included are five nights at a three-star hotel in Sorrento, doorstep to the breathtakingly gorgeous Amalfi Coast, and two nights at a four-star villa hotel in Rome.

It's pretty obvious when some destinations will be flush with tourists and steep prices -- and when they won't. August will be, February won't, for Fairbanks. Just the opposite for Phoenix. But some spots are year-round popular -- for U.S. and international vacationers and big conventions as well. It's harder to know when you can beat the crowds and bag a bargain in these cities: LAS VEGAS: Must be playing its cards right. In 1999, the national average for hotel occupancy was 63 percent; in Las Vegas it was 92 percent.